I initially studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at a MMA gym. I learned quite a bit from Williamsburg Mixed Martial Arts. They showed me that position is key, a choke is one hell of a way to end a fight and a punch to the face really shakes things up. I understood early on that Jiu-Jitsu is like having a superpower. I also understood that a punch to the dome may prevent you from choking somebody out (especially if you’re unconscious).
I think when a guy practices strictly in grappling it’s a very cool specialty. Grapplers should understand that punching/kicking can really knock the rank out of you. There’s the old adage that goes something like, “You get punched once, and you’re a brown belt. You get punched twice, and you’re a purple belt. You get punched three times, and you’re a blue belt. You get punched four times and you’re friggin’ dead!”
We musn’t forget that striking is to be respected. If you haven’t been punched in the face before, then do yourself a favor: Go ask a buddy to give you a crisp clean jab to the dome.
It changes the whole rhythm, strategy, real world application and outcome of Jiu-Jitsu. I practiced vale-tudo today at North Shore Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy. It was a small class, and we worked through technique to start. Then we grappled and threw in some punching. I got punched. I punched. We rolled around finding interesting positions to deliver strikes from. It was a hell of a way to spend Tuesday. What else would I rather do? I guess I could have done the crossword puzzle. I could have built a birdhouse. I could have made a soufflé. Instead, I got the training in. It was the optimal choice.
I respect every possible opponent there may be. You have to. You have to understand that anybody can pose a serious threat. We can’t know what a stranger knows. Do they have a background in striking? Can you handle your hands better than they can? How good is your Jiu-Jitsu for the street?
I think introducing a little “punch pals” is a good tool. This gives us the idea that not all positions in the grappling arts are optimal. We may be deadly off of our backs, but maybe it isn’t so great when we have to worry about elbows. I see Kron Gracie fight guys off of his back in MMA, and it’s a sight to see. I’m no Kron so I would like to be on top if possible.
The early UFC fights proved the supremacy of grappling in a physical altercation. There is no debate on this anymore. Jiu-Jitsu is a superpower. More people are practicing this art today then they were when UFC 1 first hit. We have more people walking around with self-defense skill. You really can’t size people up so much. I see all kinds of body types out at the tournaments. Where can we get a leg up? I think it involves getting punched in the face.
A fight is a barrage of all kinds of attacks. It isn’t limited to anything. The more we expose ourselves to the savagery in a controlled space the better. If you love your friends, and don’t want them to die… punch each other in the face, choke each other, and take each other down!
The world has a veritable cornucopia of damage it can deliver. So, sharpen up. Remember, not everybody plays by the rules of a tournament. Let’s do sport, but think “street”. Clench your hand into a tight fist, then punch, choke and repeat. That’s a steady diet for a well-informed ass-kicker.